Hexagram 64 1985

Curator: This is Oleksandr Aksinin's "Hexagram 64," created in 1985 using ink and engraving techniques. What do you make of it? Editor: Striking. I'm immediately drawn to the contrast between the sharp, almost aggressive, mountain peaks and the serene, flat landscape at the bottom. It feels unsettling, as if a natural order has been disrupted. Curator: The tension you sense is palpable. Observe the use of line and texture. Aksinin employs incredibly detailed hatching and cross-hatching to build form, creating a tangible sense of depth, particularly in those peak formations. Editor: The old engraving style gives it an archaic, almost mystical quality. But it also speaks to the political climate in Ukraine during the Soviet era, where symbolic and veiled expressions became necessary. Curator: Precisely. Notice also how the limited palette—the singular reddish-brown ink—emphasizes form over color. This constraint seems to distill the landscape into its essential geometric components. And consider how that repeating triangular shape evokes both nature and structure simultaneously. Editor: I keep coming back to the lone figure at the base. They appear dwarfed by the monumental landscape. Could this image be a commentary on individual insignificance in the face of powerful, even oppressive forces? The title seems to support this, referencing the I Ching's hexagram that symbolizes the end or exhaustion. Curator: Your reading is plausible, especially given the socio-political backdrop of Ukraine under Soviet rule. The small figure becomes a poignant symbol. Beyond historical context, the careful distribution of visual weight—the massed peaks versus the empty sky—speaks volumes. The image exudes control through meticulous design. Editor: Looking again, the texture on the mountains even suggests wrinkles or folds, giving the solid forms the vulnerability of skin. Perhaps it all points to nature being overwhelmed or even manipulated. Thanks to you, this initially unsettling composition offers so much to consider. Curator: Indeed, your insights add an important dimension. It is a work where careful visual attention is richly rewarded.